From Baghdad to America

Colonel Kopelman doesn't make it easy to follow his story. Like a butterfly in a flower field, he flits around, lighting on many places and times in his life without lingering. His memories of fighting in Iraq are mixed with descriptions of the stress of returning to U.S. society and of his love for Lava, a dog he smuggled back with him. Narrator Christopher Lane does nothing to distinguish the randomly placed letters to the author regarding his previous book--FROM BAGHDAD, WITH LOVE--making it difficult to tell where they begin and end. He does, however, portray to perfection an ex-Marine whose writing admits to anger, hostility, and personality damage resulting from his combat experiences. Lane creates a veteran characterized by chaotic thinking and disturbing unrest. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

April 28, 2008
Forget the Westminster Dog Show—these real canine champions are spearheading humanitarian missions.
From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons from a Dog Named Lava
Jay Kopelman
. Skyhorse
, $23.95 (208p) ISBN 978-1-60239-264-9

Former marine officer Kopelman's sequel to From Baghdad, with Love
—his bestselling account of a war mongrel named Lava—is a bittersweet and hopeful account of the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder. Kopelman's First Battalion, Third Marines, found Lava among the debris of war-torn Fallujah in November 2004 and adopted the mongrel despite a Department of Defense prohibition against pets. Recognizing Lava's therapeutic value—“the pure joy and escape he provided”—Kopelman not only ignored the regulations but also promised his marines that he would bring Lava home, which, against all odds, he did. Both man and dog had considerable difficulty in adjusting to life after war; Kopelman experienced “frequent anger and frustration”—especially toward civilians who seemed “so self-absorbed”—and Lava was so aggressively overprotective, he required antidepressant medication. Inspired by Lava's example—and worried about the effect of his behavior on his new family—the author finally sought therapy and encourages other troubled vets to get the treatment they need. Kopelman's nonjudgmental approach and his self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek humor make this survivor's account as engaging as it is powerful.